When a general computer system, for example, a desktop computer, a notebook computer, or an embedded computer, is started or reset, its basic input/output system (BIOS) will perform a power-on self-test (POST) on hardware apparatuses in and connected to the computer system. A general POST is executed by the BIOS before a computer system loads the operating system. The test includes testing if various parts of hardware in the computer system start normally or if there is any hardware not properly installed. If a computer system detects abnormality during POST, a so-called POST code is generated. Then according to the POST code, the debugging personnel can know which hardware encounters abnormal problems and thereby fixes the problem.
Regarding the generation of the POST code, in earlier technologies, the casing of the computer system has to be taken away. Then a debugging card is inserted to the motherboard for testing. This method is very time-consuming and inconvenient. Thereby, another method is developed afterwards. The method is applied for transmitting a POST code to a bus via system chips. Then inspection equipment connected to the bus is used for decoding and displaying the POST code. Currently, POST codes are mostly transmitted to low-pin-count (LPC) interface buses, Print ports (LPT), or COM ports via system chips. Then external inspection equipment is used for decoding and displaying the POST codes. In order to transmit the POST codes via the interfaces described above to the inspection equipment, it is necessary to reserve the ports for these interfaces. Because computer systems have to reserve the interface ports for debugging detection, extra space on motherboards is occupied. Nonetheless, people want to have lightweight and thin computer systems. Hence, the interface ports reserved for debugging purpose occupy too much space on motherboards.
Accordingly, there is a desire for a debugging apparatus for computer system and a method thereof, which to overcome the above shortcomings. Thereby, inspection personnel can more easily debug the computer system, and hence enhancing debugging efficiency.